A guide to keeping Phasmids (stick and leaf insects)

There are many different types of stick insect to choose from and care may vary slightly. The most commonly kept species is the Indian Stick Insect. What makes these pets so popular is their ease of care and low maintenance, this also makes them a popular first pet for children. Housing We recommend a glass […]

Isopod Care

Who could ever have predicted that isopods would become such a popular invertebrate pet! We have all heard of them – woodlice, pill bug, sow bug, slater, roly-poly – but few of us would have realised just how many different species there are. They are the most numerous of the land based crustaceans – there […]

Asian Forest Scorpions

Asian Forest Scorpion Care The genus Heterometrus contains approximately 33 different species of scorpion, which are collectively known as Asian forest scorpions. They are large (some of the largest scorpions in the world are part of this group), up to 13cm, shiny black – often with a bluish tinge – and have a rather […]

Emperor Scorpion

Emperor Scorpion Care The Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator) was for many decades the commonest scorpion by far within the pet trade. It is impressively large – up to 20cm (7.8”) and achieving a weight of 30g – glossy black, with intimidating looks but very simple to provide for as well as having a generally […]

Sun Beetle

Sun Beetle Care Most people will recognise this species in its larval form, when they are sold as ‘fruit beetle grubs’ as food for larger lizards, spiders and the like. If a little time is taken to keep them through a whole life cycle, they are actually rather engaging and charming little pets! […]

Two-Spotted Assassin Bug

Assassin Bug Care The two spot assassin bug (Platymeris biguttatus) is a ferocious little predator from West and Southwest Africa, prowling the tropical forests and lurking in tree stumps and leaf litter to ambush its prey. They are a true bug, and as such have needle-like mouthparts – the rostrum – that they use to […]

Advanced Praying Mantis Care

Advanced Praying Mantis Care (Various species) There are so many different species of praying mantis that some are, obviously, more difficult to cater for than others. However, once you know what to do with them they are not hard to maintain and even breed, so we are seeing more of these […]

Giant African Land Snails

Giant African Land Snail Care The giant African land snail – usually just referred to as GALS – is the classic pet of many a classroom, a perennial favourite and often the gateway species to exotic pet keeping. Simple to keep and impressive as an adult, they are an ideal first species for those […]

Millipedes

Millipede Care The word ‘millipede’ literally means ‘thousand feet’ – and although millipedes do have a lot of feet, they don’t have a thousand! Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment, so depending on their size they will have between 200 and 400 feet. Current estimates place the number of millipede species […]

Keeping And Using Livefoods

For most lizards, live insect prey is an essential part of the diet. In order to gain the best nutrition from your livefoods, you need to care for them; this does not have to be difficult or particularly time consuming if you follow a few simple guidelines. Housing: The box that your feeder insects […]

Care Sheet Species: Invertebrates Care Sheets